Bunion shield



N. V. LEVITT Oct. 16 1923.

BUNION SHIELD Filed Oct. 29 1919 Fatented oer. raises.

NATHAN v. LEVITT, or rrnnanniirnra,rnnnsynvanra, assreuon crown-HALF 'ro MORRIS L; corn ce, osprnrnannnrrrm, PENNSYLVANIA; Y

' 'nuirroiv SHIELD. I

Y Application filedOctooer I 29, 191a. Serial 1%. 334,134.

TocZZ- whmitit may conccmt: 1 Be it known that I, NATHAN V, LE.VI D'1 a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bunion Shields, of which thefollowing is a specification.

. My invention relates to an improved form of bunion shield. a

The primary object ofthe invention is to provide a shield which is constructed to be over the enlarged metatarsd' phalangeal joint of the great toe, with a fastening by which the device is snugly'held in place over the enlarged bunion joint to actas a protector and reducer. V

A'further object of the invent on is to provide, in combinationwith a shield mem her to be fitted over the enlarged bunion,

joint underneath the stocking or over the stocking inside the shoe, a fastening associated therewith by which the shield is resiliently held in place to restrain and support the bones of'the metatarsophalangeal bunion. r

A still further object is to so arrange the fastening band that the shield is held snugly in place over the enlarged bunion jointfand to so construct the band that it will not joint with a minimum "of pressure upon the bulge or shift within the "shoe to rub or enlargedjoint. x

The fastening band '2 'is madeup of a present enlargements to chafethe foot.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a fastening band made up of'a soft non elastic material in that portion bearing upon the sole of the foot and around the ball, and.

having combined therewith elastic portions to resiliently retain the shield in place and thus give a yieldable support for the bunion joint and relieve harsh bearing restraint thereon. V I

Yet another object is to associate the fastening band and shield in a manner that the band will retain the shield in differentadjustments upon a bunion joint, but at the same time shifting of the band with respect to the shield, which might cause painful cludes novel features of construction and combination of parts which w ll now be set.

forth. 7

In the, drawings:

*igure l-isa plan View of my improved bunlon SlllBlClShO-WIII the same appliedi-n the position foruse upon afoot.

Fig. 2 is a"perspectiveview.ofmy invention to better-disclose the forms-oftheshield and-fastening band and the manner of associatingthe same.1

1 is a fragmentary sectional -:view

throughfthe shield-substantially onlirie 3-3 of Fig. l to show the connection of the fastening bandwith theshield member:

1 Fig. 4 is a view similar toFigL S'illustrate' construction of the shield ing a modified 'member.'2 I The device consists essentiallyofa' shield member 1" and a fastening band 2, by which the shield member is held in placepand my invention residesin the: particular construction of the fastening band and the novel i manner of associating the'same' with the shieldniember.

This shield member -1 can be made of soft" rubber molded to fit over the enlarged bunion jo int,as shown in' Fig. 1, and it will} of course be appreciated that the material of the shieldmember is reduced at'theedges to present a thin marginalportion which will lie and'fit snugly against the foot. The shield member is preferably made deeply concave in its middle portion to take the strip 3, of fabric, leather, or othensuitable.

soft material and this'stripf is widened out at one end to presenta broad portion to bear beneath the ball of the foot; The shield member 1 is provided with a pairofslits or openings 4 and 5 through its upper and lower reduced edges, and these slits or openings ofeach pair are spaced to be on opposite sides of the concavity of the shield member. Elastic' band members 6 and '7 are threadedthrough the slits or openings at and 5, and at their ends arestitched or otherwises'ecured to the endsof theib ody strip 3, the elastic bight of each is .011 the outer side of the shield-member; 'As stated, the body'strip 3 of the fastening band is preferablymade wider at one end'than at the other, and thus when the elastic band members 6 and 7 are connected therewith these" members are I I spread under the ball of the foot and are branched in Y-formation from the upper end of the band Where the same fits over the top of the foot. This spreading of the elastic bands under the sole ofthe foot, through" securement' at the corners of the widened end of the band body,places the bands in-more effective bearing upon the shield member and better supports and rel Jgeal joint, V 7 I I While the shield member has been heretociency, and in such connections the shield.

strains the-bones of the metatarso-phalan fore spokenof as of a yielding material, in the treatment of some cases and in some adaptations a more rigid and less yielding shield structure may function ,with greater 'eii'r member'can be constructedsubstantiallyas and providedwithslits or openings for the illustrated .in Fig.4, where the outerqshield member 8 shaped to the proper concave form flexible bandiportions, 6 and 7 is made of soleleather or of some less" yielding ma- 'terial. In;-. this adaptation it is preferable that a lining or cushion 9, of felt or other suitable material be. provided within the outer member 8.

'From the foregoing itwill be seen that I' have provided ashield structure to be fitted over an enlarged bunion joint, and a fastening band. which will securethc shield in 1' place. the fastening band being constructed with elastic portions by which the shield member is held to resilientlybear upon the foot, and that by constructing the fastening; .band in the manner set forth this bandwill hold firmly. upon the foot through contact specific embodiments as to construction and 1- of the body member 3,.whileexerting the V a resilient retaining force upon the shield member. v While, in the foregoing, I have described materials, and have mentioned only certain possible modifications, it will be appreciated that'in thegearryingoutof my invention and in the accomplishment of the objects thereof joint. I V

3. A bunion shield comprising with ai,471,o41 V modifications can be resorted to, in view of which I Wish to be limited only to such .points as are set "forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bunion shield comprising with a shieldimember to fit a bunion joint, a band to hold the shield member in place comprising a non-elastic body portion to fit around the foot and a pair of elastic members connected with the body portionin branched relation and having their middle portions assoclated with the shield member to exert resilient holdin force against; the same on opposite sides of the oint.

2. A b-union' shield romprising :with a shield membershaped to fit a bunion joint and having openingsthroughits' upper and lower edges spaced on opposite sides ofthe joint, a fastening band comprising a nonelastic body to be fitted around the footand a pair of elastic members passed through V the openings oftheishieldmember and con- I nected in branched relation withthe body member to draw resiliently-upon the shield shield member made concave to fit a bunion oint and having a pair of slit-like openings through its upper and lower edges, the openings of each pair being spaced on opposite sides of the extreme concavity of said shield member, a fastemng band includinga body 'memberto be fitted around the side of the Vmember on'opposite' sides of the bu'nion i memberand having their remaining ends secured adjacent the sides of the widened end of said body member. I j J I In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

p NATHAN V. LEVITTV 

